Ed K. Erickson

Ed K. Erickson, 89, of Yarrow Point, WA passed away on July 15, 2005.
Eddie Kenneth (“Ed”) Erickson was born on August 22, 1915, in Trail, Minnesota to Peter and Julia Bjerklie Erickson. In 1924, Ed moved with his parents and four sisters from their northern Minnesota homestead to Preston, Washington, where they managed a small farm and Peter worked as a logger. Early Ed learned the value of hard work, a trait he exemplified throughout his life and conveyed to his family. He chronicled the compelling story of his family’s history in “From Homesteading to Stump Ranching,” which can be found at http://www.seanet.com/~erickson/history/ In 1935, he graduated from Issaquah High School. He attended Washington State College (later University) and in 1939 received the first of his four degrees (BA, B Ed, M Ed, and Ed D) from that institution. He was active in student affairs including Phi Delta Kappa (education honorary), Phi Delta Phi (scholastic honorary) and Intercollegiate Knights, and in 1939 served as national president of that organization. Always handsome and impeccably dressed, in those early WSU days he was referred to as “the blond bomber,” according to his wife Ayleen Frederick, whom he met while both were undergraduates. They were married in 1940 in Ellensburg on the Frederick family homestead and had three sons. In 1956 he served as president of the Washington State University Alumni Association and served on the board of the WSU Foundation for many years. In 1990 he received Washington State University’s Outstanding Service Award. He began his long career in education as an industrial arts teacher at Moscow High School in Idaho. He later taught at Bothell High School and Clover Park High School in Washington. During World War II he established the Clover Park Vocational Technical School to train men and women for the war effort. In 1948 he was hired as Superintendent of Schools in Issaquah, Washington. In 1952 he moved to Ellensburg, Washington, to become its Superintendent of Schools From the superintendency he moved to Central Washington State College (later University) working in campus planning and development and ultimately, teaching prospective teachers and becoming Professor and Chairman of the Department of Education. In 1966 he was appointed President of the newly created Seattle Community College system. There, he lead the construction of its three campuses and was named its first Chancellor. In 1995 he was named Chancellor Emeritus of Seattle Community Colleges. In early 2005 he was honored for his pioneering work when Seattle Central Community College named its newly reconstructed theater, The Erickson Theater Off Broadway. His professional work in education concluded in 1974 when he retired from the position of Assistant Superintendent for Vocational and Technical Education for the Seattle Public Schools. He mentored scores of students, teachers and administrators during his career. Upon retirement Ed was able to spend more time with his beloved Ayleen on their boat, Kullan. Ed built the 42 foot Kullan, a work of art with its fine teak interior and rails while President of Seattle Community College. It was one of many examples of Ed’s extraordinary talent. From the family home he built in Ellensburg, to beautiful hand turned bowls and gavels, to fine furniture, he loved to create beauty from wood. His small retirement business was called, “The End Grain.” In addition to travel, boating, gardening and woodworking, Ed enjoyed his long term association with PEMCO, on whose board he served for nearly 37 years. He also served on the board of the Washington School Employees Credit Union and was a founder and board member of Evergreen Bank. He was active in the United Methodist Church in Bellevue and their group of Wednesday Wonder Workers who helped keep the church shipshape. His many other community activities and associations over the years included Queen City Yacht Club, the Masonic Lodge (Fairweather 82 where he was a member for 61 years), Lakewood Kiwanis Club, Ellensburg Rotary Club, Circumnavigators, several vocal quartets where his melodious harmonies stood out and a stint on the Kittitas County Hospital Board.
Ed is sorely missed and fondly remembered by his family and his many friends and colleagues as their role model and hero and for his wonderful sense of humor, common sense and unwavering strength of character.
Ed is survived by his wife, Ayleen, his three sons, Ron (Dia Armenta), Wayne (Patricia) and Dale (Deborah), and seven grandchildren, Matthew, Anna (David) Seidzik, Julia, Jessica, Elizabeth, Ben, and Jake. He is also survived by seven nephews and his brother in law, Wes June. He was preceded in death by his four sisters, Magda Brundage, Stella Moodie, Ellen DeLauranti and Ida June. Graveside services will be held at 11am Tuesday, July 18, 2005 in Ellensburg, Washington at the IOOF Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 2pm, Wednesday, July 20, 2005 at the Bellevue First United Methodist Church, 1934 108th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA. Remembrances may be made in Ed’s name to the Seattle Community College, Office of Advancement, 1500 Harvard Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122 or the Washington State University Foundation, P.O. Box 641925, Pullman, WA, 99164.